Senator Tammy Baldwin’s mother was addicted to opioids. She’s ready to tell you about it.

Families and communities across the country are being torn apart by addiction to opioids. Senator Tammy Baldwin knows their pain. For most of her life, Baldwin’s mother struggled with addiction to prescription drugs.

For years, even as she pushed for additional funding to fight the crisis, Baldwin didn’t mention that part of her biography. This month, that changed. The 56-year-old Wisconsin Democrat, facing a tough reelection battle back home, began speaking candidly about her mother’s mental illness and abuse of prescription drugs at events and in an emotional new campaign ad.

“I remember what it was like to come home from school and not be able to get into the house,” Baldwin says in the first few seconds of the video. “I’d pound on the door but my mother wouldn’t answer. She’d be passed out inside.”

The decision to open up about something so personal wasn’t easy, but to Baldwin, it was an important step. “Families keep these things secret, and that’s not helpful for anyone,” Baldwin tellsBustle.